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I think etype2 hit it with this: "The tube was vertically flat and reduced vertical reflections."
In TV land, at the time, 90% of the lighting was from overhead on the lighting grid. Cylindrical, non-spherical CRTs on the set pieces means virtually no reflections or glare from overhead sources. No lighting guys up on ladders trying to flag off "hits" on the screen that wash out the content being displayed, so the set was cheaper to light.
(Plus, they look good.)
It's the same reason actors usually wear flat lenses in their TV/movie glasses. It cuts the nearly infinite number of possible directions glare could be coming from -- down to just one.
Chip
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